“Listen, I’ve talked to Jakeem about the new rules,” Rizzi said. “ … I think a guy like Jakeem could certainly benefit from the rule. It being a more wide-open play, I know he’s excited about it for sure.”

Nor should he be the only one. Kenyan Drake (4.45) has handled return duties before, including that memorable 96-yard return for a TD against the Jets in 2016. But with his promotion into the featured-back role, it remains to be seen whether the Dolphins will lighten his special teams load in 2018.

And among the newcomers, there’s Albert Wilson (4.43), who returned some kicks for the Chiefs, and fellow receiver Danny Amendola (4.58), who handled some punt-return duties for the Patriots. And fourth-round pick Kalen Ballage (4.46), a running back, averaged 20.8 yards on kickoff returns at Arizona State last year.

Rizzi believes if the changes are approved, you’ll see more skill-position players and fewer linemen on special teams. You’ll see fewer of those high, short kicks that the Patriots like to utilize because kicking teams will have less of a running start and therefore will be hard-pressed to pin returners inside their 25-yard line. And, reversing a recent trend, you’ll see returners more likely to take it out of their end zone rather than settle for touchbacks.

The NFL is overly complex and penalty plagued. If I didn't grow up watching and playing football, I doubt I would have much interest now. There is no other professional sport which requires such a high learning curve just to watch and somewhat understand.

I just watched Super Bowl VII, the full game on You Tube. I was 5 when the game was played and had only seen a few highlights. It amazed me that there were so few penalties and not one pass interference call, although there wasn't a lot of passing. It was also refreshing to see the players get up after a play and go to their huddle, no jawing, pushing, shoving or complaining to the refs.

I just watched Super Bowl VII, the full game on You Tube. I was 5 when the game was played and had only seen a few highlights. It amazed me that there were so few penalties and not one pass interference call, although there wasn't a lot of passing. It was also refreshing to see the players get up after a play and go to their huddle, no jawing, pushing, shoving or complaining to the refs.

A lot of that from our side is that the Don hated penalties. His teams were always one of the least penalized teams and he believed in discipline. Gase's teams have been the total opposite. Last year, the Dolphins were the 2nd worst penalized team in the NFL. In Gase's first year we were the third most penalized team. The year before Gase became our head coach, we were the 4th most penalized team. Yep, Gase needs to change the culture and mindset of his team.

I just watched Super Bowl VII, the full game on You Tube. I was 5 when the game was played and had only seen a few highlights. It amazed me that there were so few penalties and not one pass interference call, although there wasn't a lot of passing. It was also refreshing to see the players get up after a play and go to their huddle, no jawing, pushing, shoving or complaining to the refs.

Buddy, that ship has sailed, i.e., the NFL, AFL you and me grew up with. I was 17 when the Dolphins first played in '66, but I was already by then a diehard NFL fan watching top teams like the Packers, Browns, Rams, come to Miami in the early 60s when they played what was then called the "Playoff Bowl", which was nothing more than an exhibition game, with the second place teams in each of the two divisions of the NFL. The payout for the winning team was chump change, like a couple of thousand dollars, but they all played, all the stars of the day, and they didn't take a play off. They played to win, even though the game didn't mean anything. They weren't babied like they are today.

Like you, I was raptured by the players of the day and how the game was played, the Jimmy Browns, Deacon Jones, Paul Hornung, so today, for me, if it wasn't because I've had it engrained in me for over 60 years I wouldn't even care for it or watch it. The divas, the infantile celebrations after a 1 yard tackle for a loss, the penalties, the pecking away, little by little at how the game is played, is enough to turn me to the NHL and ice hockey, which is the closest thing to a throwback to an NFL of decades past. I watch these NHL playoffs, a game I've never played and understand very little of, but I get it, the incredible skating, the toughness, the no nonsense of these guys, their discipline, all about the game. And the game for TV is perfect, it allows very little dead time and thus much fewer commercials and stop of play, just constant action, fast paced, non stop.

Anyway, I'm harping on all the obvious, but no question today's game of football is passing me by and the loss is all mine. I hope there are fans left out there in 20 years for I have no idea what this game will look like by then.

Don't grow up too much. We've had a lot of fun since there were only 4 of us on our first forum eleventy-billion years ago. We talked to each other every day for years. I sure miss Tom (T-Rock). It was still fun back in the day.

I met the guy we kicked off the forum again over at JL's site. Our forum this post-draft is crickets. I find myself talking to myself a lot, but nothing new here at the Ponderosa either so I am used to it. Once one of the kids opens their mouths at home, the wife drops our conversation immediately. Does anyone else have that problem?

From a defensive posture on Special Teams ... a real disadvantage. It sounds like we will be seing more yellow flags on Special Teams if players are not disciplined in their tackling.

Jordan McPherson wrote:

Michael Thomas, the former Miami Dolphins defensive back and special teams ace who is now with the New York Giants, has a lot of feelings about the NFL's new defensive rule change.

In simplest terms: He's not a fan.

"We've been the step-child and now it's even more impossible," Thomas said Thursday morning on WQAM's Joe Rose Show. "What more can you know ask us to do and continue to play this game the way it's supposed to be played?"

Under the new rule, which was approved at the league owners meeting in late March, players will be penalized 15 yards and potentially ejected from the game if they lower their head and make contact with their helmet.

While Thomas, 29, said he never intend to intentionally hurt another player, he nevertheless feels this rule change provides a staunch advantage to the offense.

"The name of the game — and you've been taught this since you were a little kid — is low man wins," Thomas said. "So if I'm going to make a tackle, a full-speed decision, I've already broke, the receiver or running back, let's say they already have the ball in their hands, if they turn up and see me ... their whole body's going to drop and I have to get low in order to create leverage and use power from the ground and complete the tackle. How are they going to officiate that?"